Distribution systems for providing a continuous flow of a fluid lubricant to one or more machines through a network of supply lines are well known. But the conventional flow metering and flow dividing equipment available to the art requires a certain minimum lubricant flow rate to provide accurate and reliable metering and division of flow. In microlubrication, in which only a very small quantity of a high quality lubricant is typically supplied, the average flow rate needed to lubricate is much smaller than the minimum lubricant flow rate for successful operation of known metering and dividing equipment. The result of using conventional microlubrication equipment at its rated minimum flow rate has thus been to waste much of the lubricant delivered to the machines.
In addition, prior microlubrication systems have not always had the desired high level of reliability, particularly when the minimum flow rate necessary to operate the flow metering and dividing equipment has not been maintained.